Program Overview

Leveraging the expertise of the Mayor’s literacy initiative, ReadBoston, Read to Achieve presented by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation and in partnership with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt strives to get Boston elementary school students reading on grade level before middle school.

Participating students are challenged to read 20 minutes per day, 5 days per week. Clearing that benchmark earn the students Celtics prizes. Schools that have the highest percentage of participation host assemblies with a Celtics player and other VIP’s.

The year culminates with a library upgrade for the school that wins the yearlong writing assignment challenge.

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Program Video

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Read to Achieve Events

December 10, 2015 - Smart, HMH Promote Literacy in Hyde Park
Celtics guard Marcus Smart and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt hosted an animated read-aloud at Franklin D. Roosevelt K-8 Elementary School in Hyde Park.
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April 13, 2015 - Zeller, HMH Host Read to Achieve Event in Roslindale
Celtics center Tyler Zeller and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt hosted a read-aloud at Mozart Elementary School in Roslindale, Mass., Monday afternoon.
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February 26, 2015 - Celtics Host Read to Achieve Event at Chittick Elementary School
Celtics guard Phil Pressey, Celtics legend Dana Barros, team mascot Lucky, and HMH director of corporate social responsibility Andrew Russell treated students to the remarkable account of Wilma Rudolph’s life journey at Chittick Elementary School.
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December 4, 2014 - Turner, C's Host Read to Achieve at JFK Elementary School
Celtics guard/forward Evan Turner paid a visit to John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Jamaica Plain for a read-aloud, after the school reached its Read to Achieve goal for the month of November.
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November 24, 2014 - Olynyk Stars in Read to Achieve Play
Students of the Mildred Avenue K-8 School knew they would be attending a play on the morning of November 24, 2014, but had no idea that a celebrity guest star was scheduled to attend.
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October 17, 2014 - Rondo, Celtics Tip Off Read to Achieve Season at the Circus
Joined by Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) Bianca Olson and Celtics mascot Lucky, Celtics captain Rajon Rondo and 30 students from the Roger Clap Innovation School entered the circus ring for the first Read to Achieve event of the season.
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December 5, 2013 - C's Read to Otis Elementary School Students
Forty wide-eyed students from Otis Elementary School entered the Celtics practice facility on the afternoon of December 5, 2013, and were treated to a day of reading with Celtics players.
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October 21, 2013 - Celtics Partake in Reading Event for Students
The Boston Celtics and students from Mozart Elementary School sat down to participate in a day of reading as part of the Read to Achieve program, presented by Kia Motors in partnership with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
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September 25, 2013 - C's Take Duck Boat Tour, Stress Importance of Reading
Several Celtics and students from the John P. Holland School came together for a special Read to Achieve event on the Charles River.
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March 14, 2013 - Celtics Visit Perkins School for the Blind
Following a successful 14-point victory the night before versus the Toronto Raptors, Jason Terry and newly acquired guard Terrence Williams visited the Grousbeck Center at the Perkins School for the Blind.
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February 4, 2013 - Celtics Host Event at Henderson Elementary
Celtics players Paul Pierce and Chris Wilcox, along with former Celtic Keyon Dooling, visited Henderson Elementary School on February 4, 2013 for a Read to Achieve event.
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January 29, 2013 - Green, Terry Perform Play With Third-Graders
Celtics players Jeff Green and Jason Terry arrived on the morning of January 29, 2013 at the Suffolk Construction Training Center, where they performed a play with 20 third-graders from Mason Pilot Elementary School.
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December 11, 2012 - Celtics Promote Literacy at the Kenny School
Despite a busy game schedule, Celtics players Jason Collins and Jeff Green, along with former guard and current Player Development Coordinator Keyon Dooling, didn’t want to miss the chance to hang out with 60 students from the Kenny School in an effort to promote literacy.
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November 29, 2012 - Celtics Host Read to Achieve Event at Museum of Science
Three Celtics players read and talked with a group of students who had been selected to attend an event based on their daily reading habits.
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